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Stephen Colbert's pronunciation of his name

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  • 12-05-2021 6:24pm
    #1
    Did you smash it
    Registered Users Posts: 3,794 ✭✭✭


    Why does he pronounce his name as if he’s French? His descendants are all scots and Irish.


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    #2
    is_that_so
    Registered Users Posts: 32,136 ✭✭✭✭is_that_so


    Did you smash it wrote: »
    Why does he pronounce his name as if he’s French? His descendants are all scots and Irish.

    French name too!
    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colbert_(name)


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    #3
    Overheal
    Registered Users Posts: 81,674 ✭✭✭✭Overheal


    Is this really a current affairt?


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    #4
    Necro
    Moderators, Social & Fun Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 51,041 Mod ✭✭✭✭Necro


    Moved to AH where I think it's a better fit. Reminder to read the local charter before posting.


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    #5
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 25,611 ✭✭✭✭ [Deleted User]


    Did you smash it wrote: »
    His descendants are all scots and Irish.

    He only has 3 kids and I'd imagine they consider themselves American.
    Or maybe you don't know what that word means.


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    #6
    Quantum Erasure
    Registered Users Posts: 8,169 ✭✭✭Quantum Erasure


    is_that_so wrote: »
    French name too!
    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colbert_(name)

    Yeah, but his brother pronounces it the proper way...


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    #7
    is_that_so
    Registered Users Posts: 32,136 ✭✭✭✭is_that_so


    Quantum Erasure wrote: »
    Yeah, but his brother pronounces it the proper way...
    There is also a French way and yes it's pretentious but not wrong!


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    #8
    B2021M
    Registered Users Posts: 513 ✭✭✭B2021M


    Very pretentious! I assume he doesnt go to the bother of correctly pronouncing the multitude of German, Italian, Polish etc surnames found in America....


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    #9
    Overheal
    Registered Users Posts: 81,674 ✭✭✭✭Overheal


    B2021M wrote: »
    Very pretentious! I assume he doesnt go to the bother of correctly pronouncing the multitude of German, Italian, Polish etc surnames found in America....

    IDK based on his fluency in mordish elvish and dwarfish etc I imagine he is just as considerate with the former type of names. He's fairly cosmopolitan and egalitarian, complete nerd as well.


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    #10
    Fr Tod Umptious
    Registered Users Posts: 15,011 ✭✭✭✭Fr Tod Umptious


    Who ?


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    #11
    Hyperbollix
    Registered Users Posts: 928 ✭✭✭Hyperbollix


    In a land of "O' Ma-hoe-neys", I think "Colbear" is fair game.


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    #12
    Duffy the Vampire Slayer
    Registered Users Posts: 5,378 ✭✭✭Duffy the Vampire Slayer


    They can't even pronounce Gallagher or Cahill.


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    #13
    dxhound2005
    Registered Users Posts: 20,506 ✭✭✭✭dxhound2005


    Duffy the Vampire Slayer wrote: »
    They can't even pronounce Gallagher or Cahill.

    There are thousands of English words which have two or more standard pronunciations. In the case of family names, it is ridiculous to accuse someone of not knowing how to pronounce their own name.


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    #14
    colm_mcm
    Registered Users Posts: 73,382 ✭✭✭✭colm_mcm


    6089-B08-C-3-A8-C-4-C04-A0-F1-7-B3-AC516-D1-ED.jpg


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    #15
    Duckworth_Luas
    Registered Users Posts: 5,733 ✭✭✭Duckworth_Luas


    He is on record, multiple times, that he chose a French pronunciation of his name for showbiz reasons.


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    #16
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 1,263 ✭✭✭ [Deleted User]


    "In Paris they just simply opened their eyes and stared when we spoke to them in French! We never did succeed in making those idiots understand their own language." -- Mark Twain, The Innocents Abroad


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    #17
    alchemist33
    Registered Users Posts: 10,969 ✭✭✭✭alchemist33


    It's a tough one. On the one hand, it's name and he's the one who decides how it's pronounced. On the other hand, I don't give a flying f*ck.


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    #18
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 3,801 ✭✭✭ [Deleted User]


    When it comes to personal names you can say what you want. Who am I to tell a ma-hoe-ney that he’s a bog standard mahany.

    That guy in mythic quest though - that’s all kinds of wrong.


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    #19
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 3,801 ✭✭✭ [Deleted User]


    MeepMeep2021 wrote: »
    "In Paris they just simply opened their eyes and stared when we spoke to them in French! We never did succeed in making those idiots understand their own language." -- Mark Twain, The Innocents Abroad

    The French are pretty bad at standard school French. I found that myself.


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    #20
    Burt Renaults
    Registered Users Posts: 910 ✭✭✭Burt Renaults


    I didn't know he pronounced it like that.

    What an absolute cun.


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    #21
    BalcombeSt4
    Registered Users Posts: 1,780 ✭✭✭BalcombeSt4


    He said on numerous occasions that he was a relative of Con Colbert who as executed after the 1916 rebellion.


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    #22
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 1,263 ✭✭✭ [Deleted User]


    Burt Renaults wrote: »

    What an absolute cun.


    'Le Con Man,' as they say in Paris.


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    #23
    salmocab
    Registered Users Posts: 11,284 ✭✭✭✭salmocab


    I went to a recording of his show years ago and he comes out to chat to the audience beforehand and he seemed like a really nice bloke. He’s very proud of his Irish heritage but doesn’t seem to over egg it.


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    #24
    odyssey06
    Registered Users Posts: 27,920 ✭✭✭✭odyssey06


    Did you smash it wrote: »
    Why does he pronounce his name as if he’s French? His descendants are all scots and Irish.

    You're just jealous your name precludes you from pulling the same stunt as him.
    Of course it sounds better with a french twist, what doesn't?

    "To follow knowledge like a sinking star..." (Tennyson's Ulysses)



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    #25
    bigar
    Registered Users Posts: 596 ✭✭✭bigar


    Names always sound better when said with a French twang.


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    #26
    BingCrosbee
    Registered Users Posts: 260 ✭✭BingCrosbee


    I don’t know who he is but, Colvert (pronounced Col vere ) is French and maybe he is making a take on this which is a derivation on his own name, so don’t be too hard on him.


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    #27
    metaoblivia
    Registered Users Posts: 2,256 ✭✭✭metaoblivia


    From his wiki page:
    While Colbert sometimes comedically claims his surname is French, he is of 15/16ths Irish ancestry; one of his paternal great-great-grandmothers was of German and English descent.[22][23] Many of his ancestors emigrated from Ireland to North America in the 19th century before and during the Great Famine.[14][24] Originally, his surname was pronounced /ˈkoʊlbərt/ KOHL-bərt in English; Stephen Colbert's father, James, wanted to pronounce the name /koʊlˈbɛər/ kohl-BAIR, but maintained the /ˈkoʊlbərt/ pronunciation out of respect for his own father. He offered his children the option to pronounce the name whichever way they preferred.[10] Stephen started using /koʊlˈbɛər/ later in life when he transferred to Northwestern University, taking advantage of the opportunity to reinvent himself in a new place where no one knew him.[2] Stephen's brother Edward, an intellectual property attorney, retained /ˈkoʊlbərt/; this was shown in a February 12, 2009, appearance on The Colbert Report, when his second oldest brother asked him, "/ˈkoʊlbərt/ or /koʊlˈbɛər/?" Ed responded "/ˈkoʊlbərt/", to which Stephen jokingly replied, "See you in Hell".[25]


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    #28
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 3,801 ✭✭✭ [Deleted User]


    If the name has no French connections at all then the pronunciation change is a bit uppity.


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    #29
    Tilden Katz
    Registered Users Posts: 379 ✭✭Tilden Katz


    Duffy the Vampire Slayer wrote: »
    They can't even pronounce Gallagher or Cahill.

    I could never understand Noel and Liam Gallagher pronouncing their surname Gall-ag-er. They are first generation English. Their parents were born and raised in Ireland and used the correct pronunciation surely. Though... I'm not sure if I have ever heard Noel or Liam actually saying their own surname. Maybe I'm transferring the British media's (understandable, I guess) mispronunciation onto them. Maybe they do pronounce it Gallaher. Or maybe their parents found it easier to just pronounce it Gall-ag-er.


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    #30
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 1,263 ✭✭✭ [Deleted User]


    What a bunch of Mo-rans. I mean Morans. I mean Moro-- oh forget it.


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    #31
    JayRoc
    Registered Users Posts: 1,578 ✭✭✭JayRoc


    So I guess Dave Chapelle should say "chapel"?

    Honestly...the french pronuciation is the most obvious for the name "Colbert" imo.


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